1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to gaming consoles, video devices, gaming machines, or networked gaming machines and, more particularly to gaming machines found in casinos or betting environments.
2. Description of the Related Art
Gaming machines, otherwise known as slot machines, poker machines, video lottery terminals, gaming consoles, or pokies, have proven very popular within the gaming environment to become one of the base elements of the gaming industry. Players, however, quickly become tired of various adaptations of gaming machines, quickly requiring new and inventive ways to represent or play games on such gaming machines. For this reason, game creators must continually invent new and innovative ways to represent games and game play to stimulate players to encourage further interest.
Typically, gaming machines of the spinning reels type, and more recently video simulations thereof, provide game outcomes which generally include a displayed set of reels appearing in columns having multiple symbols in each reels symbol locations. In this way, the symbols appear in a matrix of easily identifiable items. Generally, players place wages across fixed lines running left to right across the reels linking various symbols of the matrix. Upon a wager being placed, the reels will briefly spin before coming to rest with a set of randomly selected symbols being displayed. Symbol combinations along various pay lines are compared to winning combinations in a pay table with prizes being awarded for matching combinations.
In one known casino game including a set of reels, each reel within the set of reels has a set of numbers defining angular positions along the circumference of the reel. The set of angular positions of each reel define reel stops. The combination of reel stops within the set of reels are limited by the number of reels, the number of angular positions associated with each reel, and any further limitations provided by the casino game. At least one angular position of each reel is displayed to a user. The casino game further includes a payout table relating winning combinations of reel stops to payout values. The casino game may include a look-up table having a first and second column. Each column is divided into an identical number of rows between columns in the corresponding look-up table. The first column of each look-up table includes a set of non-repeating numbers called index pointers. Each row of the first column contains exactly one number. Each row of the second column of the first look-up table contains a set of numbers related to numbers on the faces of dice that are randomly generated.
One disadvantage of the above described casino game is that it may use a single or same look-up table. Another disadvantage of the casino game is that it does not allow secondary or bonus games to proceed based on a base or primary game. Yet another disadvantage of the casino game is that it does not directly proceed to bonus rounds. A further disadvantage of the casino game is that it provides only credit value.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a new casino game with bonus games that can be played on a physical gaming machine in a live casino or electronically on-line. It is also desirable to provide a casino game that uses multiple look-up tables for bonus or free rounds. It is further desirable to provide a casino game that uses a follow set feature within a look-up table to direct proceeding bonus rounds. It is still further desirable to provide a casino game that uses alternate look-up tables to proceed to bonus rounds. Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide a new casino game that meets at least one of these desires.